The invention relates to methods of managing machines which contain a consumable article and associated machine managing systems, and preferably to methods of managing, as well as dispatching and replacing image forming devices, such as copying machines and printers, which need toner, ink, or other consumables.
Copying machines, printers, and other image forming devices relying on toner, ink, and other consumable articles (consumables) for operation require refiling with consumable articles and other maintenance work for their continuous use. Conventionally, for convenience in the maintenance work, toner, ink, etc. are packed in a cartridge (consumable goods) so that a supplemental consumable article can be actually supplied by replacing the cartridge.
In these machines which rely on replacements of consumable goods for continuous use, the user of the machines buys consumable goods in advance and keeps them in stock to avoid running out of them and causing the machine inoperable.
However, managing consumable goods are so complex that, for example, Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication 8-315052 (Tokukaihei 8-315052/1996, published on Nov. 29, 1996) and Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication 2000-194767 (Tokukai 2000-194767, published on Jul. 14, 2000) disclose methods to reduce the workload of the machine user.
Each of the conventional techniques relates to a system in which there is provided an automatic ordering terminal device which stores inventory information about toner and other consumable articles, calculates the supply quantity of the toner, etc. in reference to the information about the toner, etc. given by the machine, and automatically places orders with a supplier for supplemental supplies for those articles that are running out, by facsimile, email, or the like.
Both methods, nevertheless, work only with the replacing of consumable goods in a machine. Although each of the methods can reduce the workload of the machine user by automating the management of, for example, the remaining amounts and ordering of consumable articles, the machine user still has to replace by him/herself in many cases, which is especially true with consumable goods in an image forming device for general consumer use. The maintenance work is far from automatic.
The user will likely get dirty hands from replacing toner, ink, and other consumable goods and install a wrong cartridge or a correct one, but, in a wrong position, especially when the user has to replace two or more cartridges as in a color copying machine.
Increasing numbers of consumed goods, e.g., ink cartridges, are being recycled by manufacturers. Consumers or machine users"" cooperation is necessary on top of that of manufacturers to promote such a recycling system. For example, the manufacturer has prepared collecting boxes, but it is left to the machine user to carry ink cartridges to the collecting boxes. The machine user still has to trouble him/herself a lot, when it is taken into account where the user is located and how often the user uses the machine. Collection services are provided in which a service provider makes a visit to each user""s home to ease the inconvenience. No such operations are successfully run in the black, since the products involved are relatively cheap consumable goods. Large financial burdens are borne by manufactures and recycle service providers.
The present invention has an objective to provide a comprehensive and essential service, covering from sales to continuous use of the machine, by which consumable goods are managed and when used up, replaced and collected without requiring any work done by machine users or any financial burden borne by manufacturers.
A machine managing method in accordance with the present invention, to achieve the objective, is a machine managing method of managing a machine for a service receiver and is characterized in that it causes a programmed computer to execute the steps of:
obtaining unique information on the machine by which the machine is identified and information on a remaining amount of a consumable article used in the machine and subsequently determining whether or not the remaining amount of the consumable article has reached a specified value; and
if the remaining amount has reached the specified value, making an instruction to dispatch a new machine to the service receiver who matches the unique information on the machine.
In the configuration, the present invention is directed not to the management of consumable goods like cartridges filled with toner, ink, etc., but to the management of machines themselves as device main bodies which operate using a consumer article and/or consumable article contained in the consumable goods installed in the machines. For example, the management of the present invention covers copying machines and laser printers which use toner as recording material, ink jet printers which use ink as recording material, and facsimile devices which use a rolled film of heat-sensitive material or heat-sensitive paper as recording material.
With the configuration the machine to be managed is assigned with unique information on the machine by which the machine is identified; therefore, machines are easily managed using the machines"" unique information, telling which machine has been delivered to which service receiver. Further, by obtaining the unique information on the machine and the information on the remaining amount of a consumable article used in the machine, it becomes easier to know what the current remaining amount is of the consumable article in any given machine delivered to any given service receiver.
Therefore, the machines to be managed can be arbitrarily managed using the unique information on the machines; if, for example, the machines are manufactured on an OEM basis, and the unique information on the machines is managed without separating those OEM products from internally manufactured products, it becomes easier to service only the internally manufactured ones. It also becomes easier to selectively service only those machines manufactured in a certain period.
The present invention manages machines. Therefore, the unique information assigned to the machines can be constituted by a relatively little information.
Specifically, to manage ink cartridges, toner cartridges, and other consumable articles through unique information assigned to the consumable articles as in conventional cases, a vast amount of unique information needs be managed, since the number of consumable articles far exceeds the number of machines. Even when using a computer to conduct a search for unique information or other information based on the unique information, the process is too resource-intensive and takes an extended period of time for computers with old specifications, which is inconvenient. In addition, increased amounts of data require a memory or the like with large storage space for the data, which leads to increased costs of the consumable articles to which the memory is attached.
Besides, when the consumable article is modified for better performance or other purposes, new numbers need be assigned to distinguish the old version from the new one, which further increases the amount of unique information that has to be managed.
In contrast, the present invention can greatly reduce the amount of the unique information to be managed and requires a memory with far less storage space for the unique information. As a result, machine managing devices having such a memory attached thereto can be manufactured at less costs.
If the consumable article to be installed in the machine is upgraded for better performance, since it is a machine manager (service provider) who installs the consumable article in the machine, by adding information on the installed consumable article to a managing table by which the machine is managed upon, for example, the installation of the consumable article in the machine, the information on the consumable article installed in the machine can be confirmed in reference to the managing table, and conventional unique information can be utilized as it is, without changing the unique information assigned to the machine.
As described in the foregoing, amounts of information assigned as unique information (for example, the number of digits or another resource) can be restrained. Therefore, consumption of resources can be restrained, and possible exhaustion of resources in the future can be prevented.
Further, it is determined based on the information obtained on the remaining amount of a consumable article whether or not the remaining amount has reached a specified value, and if the specified value has been reached, an instruction is made to, for example, a managing, dispatch, or other related division of the service provider to dispatch a new machine to the service receiver identified by the unique information on the machine. Thereby, a machine managing service can be offered to the service receiver in which the service receiver does not have to do any management work as to the consumable article and it is ensured that the consumable article never runs out.
Moreover, when the remaining amount of the consumable article has reached a specified value, the whole machine is replaced, which frees the service receiver from bothersome work of replacing the consumable article.
Further, if the obtained unique information on the machine is not registered, the machine can be regarded as being illegal, that is, pirated, in which case a warning may be made to eradicate pirated products.
Whether or not the remaining amount of a consumable article used in the machine of the service receiver has reached a specified value may be determined in various ways including those which follow.
A first example is to transmit, when the machine of the service receiver configured including an ink remaining amount sensor or other remaining-amount-detecting unit detects a near-emptiness level as a reference value to which the sensor is set, information of such contents to the machine managing device of the present invention, so that the machine managing device receives the information. Further, the machine managing device can determine, based on an operation to receive the information, that the remaining amount of the consumable article in the machine has reached a specified value, as long as the machine transmits the information to the machine managing device for no other purposes than to inform that the near-emptiness level has been reached. Incidentally, the remaining amount in the machine may be detected, besides by means of a sensor and other hardware configuration, by calculating the consumption of ink from print data every time a print job is performed. The former is advantageous in that the remaining amount detected is accurate and the latter in that the device configuration can be simplified.
Next, when the machine and the machine managing device are allowed to be always connected to a network, the machine managing device can perform the aforementioned software detection of the remaining amount, in which case, all the remaining-amount-detecting functions are omitted from the machine, and the machine can therefore configured more simply in terms of hardware/software. Specifically, when the machine performs a print job, information on ink consumption according to print data is transmitted to the machine managing device. Here, the information on ink consumption is, for example, print data contents per se. However, the printed contents may be a secret, in which case an operation is preferably performed in which the print data contents are made to make no sense by, for example, changing the sequence of the print data, so as to prevent any third part from using the print data. Incidentally, in the operation, the print data may be compressed too to the extent that the calculation of ink consumption for actual print data is not affected. Thus, the communications load on the network can be reduced, and so can the processing load on the processing unit in the machine managing device.
Incidentally, in a case of a color printer, the information on ink consumption is preferably calculated for each color. In such a situation, the machine may transmit print data which is made to make no sense as mentioned earlier, without separating the print data for each color, and separate the print data for each color in the machine managing device to calculate ink consumption for each color; alternatively, the machine may first separate the information for each color before transmission to the machine managing device. In terms of printing principles, the machine is equipped with functions to separate print data for each color: for example, C (cyan), M (magenta), Y (yellow), and K (black), and in some cases supplemental colors including a photographic yellow and a light cyan. Therefore, the objective can be accomplished easily by using information obtained with ordinary functions. Paying attention to that the machine loses no color information during the transmission of the information, the remaining amount of ink of each color can be calculated by the machine managing device.
A variation is for a machine equipped with an ink-remaining-amount-detecting function to transmit the current remaining amount of ink to the machine managing device continuously, for every print job, or for every certain period of time. This allows information to be transmitted even when the remaining amount of ink has not reached a specified value, and the machine managing device must determine whether or not the remaining amount of ink has reached a specified value. However, irrespective of whether the remaining amount of ink has reached a specified value, the current status of the machine regarding the remaining amount of ink can be frequently checked, and the machine managing device can more surely monitor the information on the remaining amount of ink. This is a very effective method especially when the machine managing device fails to receive correctly due to a network or other communications error despite that the machine has transmitted that the remaining amount of ink has reached a specified value, or when data is lost regarding the remaining amount of ink due to trouble of the machine managing device, because of increased opportunities to make confirmation.
In this case, whether the remaining amount of ink has reached a specified value can be determined in the following fashion. When the machine is equipped with hardware which functions to detect by a binary manner whether the specified value has been reached, information is transmitted according to the following rules:
xe2x80x9cThe remaining amount of ink is more than or equal to the specified value.xe2x80x9d xe2x86x92 The bit provided to represent the remaining amount of ink is xe2x80x9c0.xe2x80x9d
xe2x80x9cThe remaining amount of ink is less than the specified value.xe2x80x9d xe2x86x92 The bit provided to represent the remaining amount of ink is xe2x80x9c1.xe2x80x9d
Then the machine managing device detects a change in the value of the received data. Hence, the point in time can be detected when the remaining amount of ink has reached the specified value. In this case, if the value of the bit provided to represent the remaining amount of ink is managed for each machine, in other words, if a bit information cell is provided in the managing table stored on a hard disk or other storage unit so as to represent the remaining amount of ink for an entry or update of a received value, in the above case, the remaining amount of ink in the machine can be detected as having reached a specified value when the received data changes from xe2x80x9c0xe2x80x9d to xe2x80x9c1.xe2x80x9d
A further variation is for a machine equipped with a software-based function to detect the remaining amount of ink to transmit the current remaining amount of ink to the machine managing device continuously, for every print job, or for every certain period of time so that the machine managing device can determine weather the specified value has been reached. Similarly to the foregoing, this allows the information to be transmitted even when the remaining amount of ink has not reached the specified value, and therefore, the information on the remaining amount of ink in the machine managing device can be more surely checked. Compared to the previous variation, the detection of the remaining amount of ink is not limited to binary operation but can rely on continuous values.
In other words, providing multiple levels in the remaining amount of ink by means of hardware is difficult for various factors including precision, costs, and reliability. However, software-based calculating method is easy; the cumulative, remaining amount of ink can be calculated only by adding the ink consumption calculated for each printing job to the cumulative ink consumption before the printing job.
Further, it is the machine managing device that determines whether the specified value has been reached; therefore, no determination program (or part of data like comparative values) needs to be installed in the machine. Therefore, when the remaining-amount-detecting program sometime later comes to boast better precision in detecting the remaining amount of ink, a simple method of replacing the program stored on the storage unit in the machine managing device can handle the situation, and the program stored on the machine does not need be updated, offering flexibility in handling the situation.
Incidentally, the algorithm per se to calculate the remaining amount of ink from print data needs be installed on the machine. Considering easy updating of the algorithm per se, as mentioned earlier, the machine managing device preferably handles everything related to the calculation and determination of the remaining amount of ink.
Further, the unique information on the machine and the information on the remaining amount are preferably transmitted from the machine to a computer of the service provider connected to the machine via a network in view of automatic service management. However, the present invention is not particularly limited to this. For example, the unique information on the machine and the information on the remaining amount may be obtained by a communications device which is connected to the machine to be managed via a network and which is communicable with the computer and transmitted by the communications device to the computer. Alternatively, without deviating out of the scope of the invention, the service provider may be informed by some communication means of the unique information on the machine and the information on the remaining amount so that the service provider can manually enter the obtained information in the computer.
As detailed above, according to the configuration, the remaining amount, etc. of consumable articles are managed using information unique to the machine; therefore, it becomes easier to know what the current remaining amount is of the consumable article in any given machine delivered to any given service receiver. Moreover, when the obtained remaining amount of a consumable article has reached a specified value, an instruction is made to dispatch a new machine to the service receiver identified from the unique information on the machine; thereby the service receiver is provided with a service which frees the service receiver from the management of the consumable article and which ensures that the consumable article is never exhausted. If unregistered information is received, it can be determined that the machine is illegal, i.e., pirated, so pirated goods can be eradicated by means of warnings, etc.
In order to achieve the objective, the machine managing method of the present invention is a machine managing method of managing a machine for a service receiver, and characterized in that it causes a programmed computer to execute the steps of:
obtaining unique information on the machine by which the machine is identified and information on a remaining amount of a consumable article used in the machine and subsequently determining whether or not the remaining amount of the consumable article has reached a specified value; and
if the remaining amount has reached the specified value, making an instruction to manufacture or fabricate a new machine.
As a result of this, each machine to be managed is assigned with unique information by which the machine is identified, and it becomes easier to match which machine has been delivered to which service receiver, using the unique information on the machine for management. Further, by obtaining the unique information on the machine and the information on the remaining amount of the consumable article used in the machine, it becomes easier to know what the current remaining amount is of the consumable article in any given machine delivered to any given service receiver.
Moreover, it is determined, based on the obtained information on the remaining amount of the consumable article, whether or not the remaining amount has reached a specified value and if the specified value has been reached, a instruction is made to manufacture or fabricate a new machine; therefore, regarding the management of the machines delivered to the service receiver, the service provider can stock a necessary number of machines, and get prepared for dispatch of a new machine to the service receiver identified by the unique information on the machine, without building up a useless inventory. Thus, the service receiver can be provided with a machine managing service which frees the service receiver from the management of the consumable article and which ensures that the consumable article is never exhausted.
As detailed above, according to the configuration, it is determined, based on the obtained information on the remaining amount of the consumable article, whether or not the remaining amount has reached a specified value and if the specified value has been reached, a instruction is made to manufacture or fabricate a new machine; therefore, regarding the management of the machines delivered to the service receiver, the service provider can stock a necessary number of machines, and get prepared for dispatch of a new machine to the service receiver identified by the unique information on the machine, without building up a useless inventory.
In order to achieve the objective, the machine managing method of the present invention is a machine managing method of managing a machine for a service receiver over a network, and is characterized in that it causes a programmed computer to execute the steps of:
obtaining, via a network, unique information on the machine by which the machine is identified and information that a remaining amount of a consumable article used in the machine is in a near-emptiness state; and
making an instruction to dispatch a new machine to the service receiver who matches the unique information on the machine, in accordance with execution of the previous step.
According to this, since the information that the remaining amount of a consumable article in the machine is in a near-emptiness state is obtained via a network, the computer of the service provider can extremely easily obtain the unique information on the machine and the information that the remaining amount of a consumable article in the machine is low. Further, without further determining whether the remaining amount of a consumable article in the machine has reached a specified value or doing other processes, an instruction can be made for a dispatch of a new machine only in response to the reception of the information.
Incidentally, the network refers to a network of communications lines, wired or wireless, which enables communications between communications devices equipped with at least communications function. If the network is established by wireless communications, for example, a network of communications lines is configured by relay stations for wireless communications. Therefore, the computer can be accessed by a machine itself having a communications function via telephone lines, the Internet, or dedicated lines and stationary or mobile communications equipment, either built-in or externally mounted to the machine, and any other communications device.
As detailed here, according to the configuration, since the information that the remaining amount of a consumable article in the machine is in a near-emptiness state is obtained via a network, the computer of the service provider can extremely easily obtain the unique information on the machine and the information that the remaining amount of a consumable article in the machine is low. Further, without further determining whether the remaining amount of a consumable article in the machine has reached a specified value or doing other processes, an instruction can be made for a dispatch of a new machine only in response to the reception of the information.
In order to achieve the objective, the machine managing method of the present invention is a machine managing method of managing a machine for a service receiver over a network, and is characterized in that it causes a programmed computer to execute the steps of:
obtaining, via a network, unique information on the machine by which the machine is identified and information that a remaining amount of a consumable article used in the machine is in an near-emptiness state;
making an instruction to manufacture or fabricate a new machine in accordance with execution of the previous step.
According to this, since as explained earlier, the information that the remaining amount of the consumable article in the machine is in a near-emptiness state is obtained via a network, and an instruction is made to manufacture or fabricate a new machine based on reception of the information, the computer of the service provider does not need to determine whether or not the remaining amount of the consumable article in the machine has reached a specified value or do other processes. Therefore, preparation to dispatch a new machine to the service receiver can be done by a more simple process without building an unnecessary inventory.
As detailed here, according to the configuration, since the information that the remaining amount of a consumable article in the machine is in a near-emptiness state is obtained via a network, and an instruction is made to manufacture or fabricate a new machine based on reception of the information, the computer of the service provider does not need to determine whether or not the remaining amount of the consumable article in the machine has reached a specified value or do other processes. Therefore, preparation to dispatch a new machine to the service receiver can be done by a more simple process without building an unnecessary inventory.
In order to achieve the objective, a machine of the present invention is characterized in that it is used with the one of the foregoing machine managing methods.
With one of the machine managing methods applied to the machine, the service provider can enjoy the benefit of easy determination as to whether the service provider has delivered a machine and easy maintenance management. Further, in making the machine always available for use, the service receiver can enjoy the benefit of being freed from the duty to manage the remaining amount of, and replace, a consumable article.
In order to achieve the objective, a storage unit for registering unique information, on a machine to be delivered to a service receiver, by which the machine is identified in association with the service receiver; and
a processing unit for determining, when the unique information on the machine and information on a remaining amount of a consumable article used in the machine are obtained, whether or not the remaining amount of the consumable article has reached a specified value and for making, when the remaining amount of the consumable article has reached the specified value, an instruction to dispatch a new machine to the service receiver who matches the unique information on the machine.
According to this, the same functions and effects are achieved as those explained as to the machine managing method executing the steps corresponding to the configuration.
Incidentally, according to a method whereby the information is sent only when the machine detects near-emptiness by itself, the machine managing device can make an instruction to dispatch a new machine only in response to reception of the information. Further, the dispatch instruction may be replaced with an instruction to request manufacture or fabrication of a machine to a machine""s manufacturing division.
In order to achieve the objective, a machine managing system of the present invention is a machine managing system for managing a machine for a service receiver over a network, and is characterized in that it includes:
a group including a machine including: a transmission unit for externally transmitting via a network unique information on the machine by which the machine is identified and information that a consumable article used in the machine is in a near-empty state; and a controller unit for controlling the transmission unit; and
a machine managing device including: a communications unit for receiving from the group the unique information on the machine and the information that the consumable article is in a near-empty state; a storage unit for registering the unique information on the machine in the group in association with the service receiver; and a processing unit for making, when the information that the consumable article is in a near-empty state is received, an instruction to dispatch a new machine to the service receiver who matches the unique information on the machine.
According to this, the aforementioned machine managing method using near-emptiness information can be executed by means of a network system, remaining amount sensor, and other information technology.
Further, if a pirated version of the machine is in use, the machine operates to transmit the unique information provided to the machine, and by checking the information, those machines whose unique information is not registered on the storage unit in the machine managing device can be eradicated.
In order to achieve the objective, a machine managing system of the present invention is a machine managing system for managing a machine for a service receiver over a network, and is characterized in that it includes:
a group including a machine including: a transmission unit for externally transmitting via a network unique information on the machine by which the machine identified and information on a remaining amount of a consumable article used in the machine; and a controller unit for controlling the transmission unit; and
a machine managing device including: a communications unit for receiving from the group the unique information on the machine and the information on the remaining amount; a storage unit for registering the unique information on the machine in the group in association with the service receiver; and a processing unit for determining, when the unique information on the machine and the information on the remaining amount of the consumable article used in the machine are obtained, whether or not the remaining amount of the consumable article has reached a specified value and for making, when the remaining amount of the consumable article has reached the specified value, an instruction to dispatch a new machine to the service receiver who matches the unique information on the machine.
According to this, the aforementioned machine managing method using information on the remaining amount of a consumable article can be executed by means of a network system, remaining amount sensor, and other information technology.
Further, based on a fact that the machine in the group has been connected to a network and the unique information on the machine or the information on the remaining amount has been received, it can be determined that the service receiver has used the machine, that is, the service receiver will be charged. Therefore, the time when either the unique information on the machine or the information on the remaining amount is received can be used as the time when the charging occurs.
In order to achieve the objective, a machine managing program of the present invention is characterized in that it causes a computer to execute the machine managing method.
According to the configuration, by downloading the program, any typical computer can act as a service managing device.
Incidentally, the scope of the present invention naturally covers computer-readable storage media on which a machine managing program to cause a computer to execute the machine managing method of the present invention is recorded.
According to the present invention, a comprehensive and essential service is provided covering from sales to continuous use of the machine, by which consumable articles are managed, replaced, and collected without requiring any work done by machine users or any financial burden borne by manufacturers selling the machine.
For a fuller understanding of the nature and advantages of the invention, reference should be made to the ensuing detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.